Alaska Yellow-Cedar
Callitropsis nootkatensis · softwood · Pacific Northwest · moderate movement
- Janka hardness 580 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 31 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.44 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 6%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 2.8%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 2.1 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes Sulfur-yellow, fine-grained, and calm — prized for boatbuilding, exterior joinery, and Japanese-style hand-tool work.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for alaska yellow-cedar across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 1/16″ (0.077″) | 1/32″ (0.036″) |
| 12″ | 5/32″ (0.154″) | 1/16″ (0.072″) |
| 24″ | 5/16″ (0.309″) | 5/32″ (0.144″) |
| 36″ | 15/32″ (0.463″) | 7/32″ (0.216″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to alaska yellow-cedar:
Typical swings:
Alaska Yellow-Cedar questions
How much does alaska yellow-cedar move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn alaska yellow-cedar board moves about 5/32″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 1/16″. Its tangential shrinkage is 6% and radial 2.8% (green to ovendry) — a moderate-movement wood.
How hard is alaska yellow-cedar?
Alaska Yellow-Cedar rates about 580 lbf on the Janka scale — soft enough to dent in daily use (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 31 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is alaska yellow-cedar good for wide panels and tabletops?
Carefully. Its tangential-to-radial ratio of 2.1:1 makes flatsawn boards prone to cupping — choose quartersawn stock for wide glue-ups, alternate growth rings, and fasten tops so they can slide.
Similar species
Tamarack · Jack Pine · Red Pine · Western Hemlock · Black Spruce · Baldcypress
Shrinkage, specific gravity, and hardness from the Wood Handbook, FPL-GTR-282 (2021 edition), USDA Forest Products Laboratory (public domain). Values are species averages — individual boards vary with growth conditions and how they were dried.